


Brothers in Arms

by Elendiliel



Series: Lightning Strikes [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Jedi Code (Star Wars), Planet Coruscant (Star Wars), Purpose before feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:29:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28548657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elendiliel/pseuds/Elendiliel
Summary: Jedi General Abbasa and her unit have handled most types of mission since their team was formed. But when Helli is given an apparently simple new assignment, she has no idea what challenges await her and her partner.
Series: Lightning Strikes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2087898
Kudos: 1





	Brothers in Arms

**Author's Note:**

> Just to make it clear: all the stories in this series are interlinked, and make a bit more sense when read in order. That said, I intend to post them in the order in which they were written, which isn't the same as the in-universe chronology. Hopefully it won't get more confusing than the series itself.
> 
> Possible canon-divergence alert: for the purposes of this story, which is probably set before "The General" and "Plan of Dissent", Fives can fly a Republic starfighter, but will still have to learn how to handle its Umbaran equivalent.

“Fives, you’re drifting too far out. Get back here, sharpish. Spark, incoming, port s- oh, thanks, Torrent. Echo, can you handle that one, or shall I?”

“On it, Hel.” CT-1409, known to all and sundry as Echo, was as good as his word. The vulture droid chasing the ARC trooper didn’t stand a chance. His CO was very glad that no-one could see the silly grin she was failing to wipe off her face. And that this was a private channel. She had enough problems without her field nickname being broadcast to her superiors.

In the months since their first mission together, General Helli Abbasa and her strike team had made a name for themselves in more ways than one. Lightning Squadron got things done, with minimal fuss, mess or casualties. Recon, sabotage, extraction of both their own people and prisoners – they’d handled most types of assignment without a single death on their side since Eagle, and with as few as possible on the other. Now they were flying escort for a supply ship as it left Toydaria bound for yet another famine-struck planet. Helli didn’t know which. Just that there was no active Separatist presence there, and hence no need for her squad to follow it. After three weeks of non-stop activity, she was glad of that. They all needed a good night’s sleep, for a start. She was well aware that her caf addiction was verging on dangerous, and limited time for meals was making her skinnier than ever.

That would have to wait, though. Never count your nuna before they’re hatched. The opposing droid fighters had regrouped for a last-ditch assault on the supply ship. Lightning Squadron pre-empted them. Helli didn’t even need to give the order now. Echo, Fives, Torrent and Spark lined up behind her in a perfect spread-wings formation as she dived towards the centre of the cluster, mag-pulse cannon clearing space ahead of them and scattering the outer craft. It wouldn’t buy them much time, they all knew – and knew well enough to be ready for her single-word command. “Again.” Two more passes kept the droids focused on the five starfighters and not on the unarmed freighter, which Helli could see from her instruments was about to jump to hyperspace. Lightning Squadron had heard enough stories about fighters caught in the wake of a departing ship to steer well clear as the engines fired. The droids, or their commanders, had the sense to retreat shortly afterwards. Helli ignored the shouts of rejoicing and mutual congratulation over the squad comm as she reported in and received their next orders.

“Okeyday. Good news. Command want us back on Coruscant for a change.”

“That _is_ good news.” This came from Lightning Five, the aptly named Spark. “Can any of you remember the last time you slept in a proper bed?”

“I certainly can’t.” Lightning Three – Fives – spoke for all of them. Helli for one wasn’t entirely sure when she’d last _slept_. Or had a meal that wasn’t a ration bar. But she couldn’t completely share her men’s elation. She knew what else awaited her back home, and the knowledge kept her silent as she punched in the coordinates and her droid steered them into a waiting hyperspace ring for departure.

She stayed quiet throughout the journey home, and could only manage routine, absent-minded comments as they left their fighters and waited to be told when to go their separate ways. The others would be debriefed by Captain Rex at their barracks, but her debriefing would be elsewhere, and somewhat different.

“What’s up, General?” She hadn’t really expected Torrent not to notice her state of mind. He had near-Jedi intuition for such things.

“Oh, nothing. Just not looking forward to talking to the Council.”

“Would you like me to come with you?”

“Would like, yes; am allowed, no. I’ll be fine. I’ve been in tight corners on my own before, as you well know.” She managed a reassuring smile, and he backed off, thankfully.

Suddenly the summons to the Council chamber couldn’t come too soon. By the time it arrived, Helli had triple-checked that she looked presentable and read through her own notes on their latest batch of missions four times. She’d learned early on that if one didn’t keep good records, one would be in a pretty pickle come reporting time.

Reciting the list of missions undertaken and successfully carried out helped steady Helli’s nerves enough that she didn’t jump when Master Windu, after congratulating her and her men on their good work, said, “While your team’s record speaks for itself, we’re concerned that you might be growing too close to them. You spend far longer with them than with your fellow Jedi. You’re starting to fight like them, talk like them – they’ve even given you a nickname like theirs.” How did he know that?

“They’re my brothers. We’ve been through a lot together. You know how it is. But I can assure you, I haven’t broken the Code, nor do I intend to do so. I know my duty.”

“I’m sure you do.” Master Kenobi had spoken up. Helli suspected that between his late master, his former apprentice, and _his_ apprentice, the General knew a thing or three about breaking the Code. “But we had to check before giving you your next assignment.” He held out a datapad, which she took from him and skim-read with droid-like efficiency. _Moi, moi_ …

“I see why. But I think I can handle this.”

“Do you have a specific partner in mind, or do you need to think about it?” Master Windu had taken over again.

“I’ll take my sergeant. He’s highly intuitive and knows how to be discreet – which is more than I can say for some of my men.” Most of them, actually.

“That’s good. Now, you’d better go find him and make the necessary arrangements.” Helli bowed to the Council and left, already mapping out the best places to find the things and person she needed for that night’s expedition. That had gone better than she expected.

Early evening found her and Torrent perched a little uncomfortably at the bar of one of Coruscant’s many nightclubs. This one was at the reputable end of disreputable. Not everyone was armed, and she estimated the probability of violence to be no more than fifty percent. The music was good, and the drinks were reasonably priced, especially as they’d both chosen to avoid alcohol, needing to stay sharp. Neither was at ease in the civilian clothes with which Helli had been furnished. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn a dress. It was bright red synthetic fibre, knee length, with a V-neck she’d had to fix up with an earring and some apparently useless decoration on the bodice that turned out to be handy for storing small items. She’d paired it with a longish jacket that hid her sabre and the first pair of shoes that weren’t combat boots she’d worn in months. Torrent clearly wasn’t used to being out of armour, except to sleep, but at least the short-sleeved white tunic and blue trousers must have felt vaguely familiar, and he’d kept his boots.

This was a simple information drop, with Torrent along partly as cover, partly as identification, partly as backup if things went wrong. Helli had identified herself to the bardroid with an “accidental” glimpse of her sabre as she ordered the drinks, for which Torrent had insisted on paying. With any luck, their contact would know who they were by then.

He might have his work cut out getting to them, though. The crush of people at the bar was almost intolerable, and it only got worse when an already very drunk man put his arm around Helli’s shoulders, asking in a rather slurred voice, “Whassa girllikeyou doin’ inna placelikeis?”

“She’s with me.” Torrent was on his feet, tone steady but stance aggressive. Helli reached out and put a hand on his chest in a calming gesture, which was also a variant on their leave-off signal. “It’s all right. I can handle this.” She took the man’s arm gently but firmly from her shoulders, letting it fall to his side. “I’m enjoying a quiet drink with a friend. If you don’t mind my saying so, I recommend you do the same – somewhere else.”

“Jus’ trynabefriends.” The man took the hint without rancour and sloped off to bother another customer.

“What was all that about?”, Torrent whispered when the man was out of earshot.

“Our contact.” Helli kept her voice as low as she could. She’d felt the man’s other hand slip into her jacket pocket, and could still feel the datastick he’d left there. Careful to make the action look natural and unconscious, she fastened the zip of the pocket to guard against thieves.

“Ah.” Torrent didn’t ask for further details, but re-applied himself to his drink. Helli did the same, scanning the room for trouble as she did so. It took all her self-control not to freeze, glass at her lips, as she found some.

“Two males, bearing two-two-five. Suspicious of us.” Torrent had learned not to ask Jedi how they _knew_ certain things. A clone and a short-haired woman with a military stance, pointed ears and a Picti build couldn’t stay inconspicuous for long, anyhow. They’d both finished their drinks; Helli checked mentally that her sabre was now safely strapped behind her back, then extended a hand towards Torrent. “Dance with me.”

“What?”

“Dance with me. If we act like a couple, we might look less suspect.” Torrent didn’t quite follow her reasoning, but let her lead him onto the floor. At first he took to dancing like a bantha to flying, but it didn’t take him long to get the hang of it. The watchers must have drawn the conclusion towards which she’d been leading them, because they left soon afterwards, and she sensed no ill intent from them. But the music had her and her partner in its grip still, and they had the stamina of elite fighters. They kept going until closing time, when the music stopped and they wandered out into the streets. The adrenaline and endorphin rush must still have been buoying Torrent, because he pulled Helli into a nearby alley and, before even she could react, kissed her.

Helli felt split into at least two parts. Her mind was screaming _disengage, stop, get out_ , but her body took no notice. Her lips had a mind of their own, and her arms were wrapped as tightly around his upper chest as his were around hers. It took her several seconds to regain control and pull away, shaking ever so slightly.

“I’ve wanted to do that since I met you.” It was Torrent’s familiar low, comforting voice, but tinged with something strange that she didn’t entirely like. Helli found herself unable to speak still. He reached up to brush an errant curl out of her face. “What’s wrong, Hel?”

Helli managed to form a sentence. “Please – don’t do that again. Ever.”

“Why not?” He must have registered that part of her wanted him. (Wanted any man, frankly. But the rest of her knew it was impossible.) “Because you’re my CO?”

“Because I’m a Jedi.” Helli’s voice was steadier now. “I can’t have attachments to anyone or anything. I’m in enough trouble just being friends with you and the others.”

“The Council doesn’t have to know. And I’m sure the others won’t tell anyone.”

“It’s not that. There’s a reason why the Code forbids any romantic relationship. My duty always has to come first, no matter what. Marriage and children introduce extra obligations that conflict with our duty to the Order and the galaxy. Besides, if we were… special to each other, our operational priorities would be in danger. However hard we try, I might be tempted always to give you the safe posts, or you might put a slight risk to me ahead of a greater threat to someone else – who might die.”

“So it’s not that you don’t love me?”

“I _care_ about you a lot. Maybe more than I should. You’re my _brother_. Whether I love you in any other way – I just don’t know. What do either of us really know about love?” That got a weak laugh. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but please, if you love me in any way, shape or form – don’t ask me to break my vows.”

That, he understood. All clone troopers swore an oath of allegiance to the Republic. He presumably couldn’t imagine breaking his. She sensed his resignation even before she heard it in his voice.

“I’ll request a transfer. Somewhere neither of us will be tempted.”

“If you think that’s best.” Helli considered objecting on the grounds that they’d have to explain the reason for this, but realised that it was technically the correct thing to do. And she hadn’t yet broken the Code – was doing her best _not_ to break it. All the same… “I’d rather you didn’t, though. Where am I going to get another sergeant of your quality?” Another smile. “Tell you what. I’ll put us both on probation. Any more infringements, and we’ll have to take steps. Sound good?”

“I think I can cope with that. It’s worth a try, at least. And we’ll be late to the rendezvous point if we don’t hurry up.” He was right. They linked arms and proceeded at a brisk but innocuous pace towards the Temple and home. Helli’s mind was still racing somewhat. Of all the possible endings to that night, this was one she hadn’t expected. Challenges could come from anywhere. She hoped she’d handled this one properly. And that even after it, she and Torrent would continue to be friends. Brother and sister in arms.


End file.
